How to tell a conference is serious about greening itself: The schedule includes a “how to deal with your trash” session!

This morning, eco-biz conference Opportunity Green sandwiched a 10-minute “Greening and Conversation” presentation between two keynotes, quickly educating everyone on which bin to toss their napkins, trays, muffin wrappers, forks, and coffee stirring sticks into.

The eco crowd learned that pretty much everything could go into the compost bin except the stirring sticks and, ironically, the “compostable” wheatware forks which apparently aren’t easy to compost and will be headed to the landfill. (For more on this irony, check out my post on compostable hangers) And in case some people weren’t listening, volunteers stood watch at each waste center to direct them during the lunch break.

Opportunity Green also incorporated the usual eco-measures — recycled paper, non-PVC signage, organic eats and drinks, and the like. In addition, Opportunity Green organizers are measuring the energy use of the conference so they know exactly how much carbon offsets need to be purchased post-event.

The one aspect of greening overlooked by the conference organizers, however, is transportation — a not-too-small aspect of any big gathering’s footprint (Here’s what Radiohead has to say about the issue). While carpooling’s encouraged by a service called PickupPal and the shuttles from the conference hotel run on biodiesel, alternative transit users were left out in the cold.

Opportunity Green did add some info about taking Metro or the Big Blue Bus a few weeks ago — after I emailed Karen, one of the organizers suggesting it — but that addition was bare bones at best, providing no details about how to get from the bus stop(s) to the actual conference building. This morning, I discovered the walk from BBB 2’s drop off to Opportunity Green to be a confusing 25-minute hike (I got a little lost). Yes, some conference signs were put out to point attendees in the right directions, but those signs were positioned to lead people from the parking lot a little north of the location to the conference, not to help public transit takers, who were most likely coming up from the south side of the location. Bicycling details were omitted altogether.

Considering how easy it is to get detailed driving directions from Google Maps, I’m always a bit puzzled by the fact that conference organizers — green or otherwise — tend to provide painstakingly specific driving directions from multiple locations while devoting a mere “visit metro.net” to would-be public transit takers….

Since Opportunity Green’s own greening effort has improved very impressively from last year, I hope that next year’s Opportunity Green will prioritize transportation issues. We should make it as easy, if not easier, for walkers, bicyclers, and public transit takers to get to the conference as it for drivers.

Update: I’m watching Reverb’s presentation in the “Effective Strategies for Waste” panel at Opportunity Green. A key stat: 80% of a concert’s carbon footprint comes from the concertgoers’ commute.

Update: Opportunity Green: Media, advertising, and greenwashing

Update: Opportunity Green: Recession and the green economy
Update: Live social media panel at Opportunity Green

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